Seagull Control – Egg and Nest Removal Guide

Posted May 2, 2015

Seagulls, like all UK wild birds, are protected under the Wildlife and Countryside Act 1981. This means it is a criminal offence to kill, injure or destroy their nest whilst the nest is in use or being built. It is also a criminal offence to take or destroy their eggs.

However, some exceptions to this rule and in certain circumstances it is deemed necessary to make an intervention. In these cases, the government issues a General License that permits you to control a seagull population based on specific criteria. That criterion can be based on protecting public health and safety, preserving air safety or preventing damage to crops, livestock or food for livestock.

Egg And Nest Removal

Seagulls are known to carry a lot of parasites and their droppings also carry several transmittable diseases. They can also cause serious damage to buildings with their nesting habits and during breeding season they can become quite aggressive and even attack people if they get too close to their nest. In light of this, when seagulls become a serious problem then it may be necessary to introduce a seagull control program that includes the removal of their nest and eggs.

Seagulls are well known for making nests and breeding each year at the same locations. This inevitably leads to significant growth in populations and all the problems that can potentially entail. If it is deemed that an egg and nest removal program is justified then a license can be obtained to carry it out. These licenses are not issued to the general public; they only go to professional bird control companies who have the appropriate tools, knowledge and experience for the job.

Long Term Strategy

Egg and nest removal programs are a long-term strategy to control seagull populations and they need to be carried out on a regular basis in the same location every year to have the desired effect. Over time, the seagulls will move on due to unsuccessful nesting and the situation can then be controlled more effectively.

To find out more about seagull control and what an egg and nest removal program entails then please contact us now.